Bahrain pumps another $411m into budget

Manama, February 4, 2011

Millions of dinars have been injected into Bahrain's draft national budget to fund social welfare programmes over the next two years, said top government officials.

His Majesty King Hamad has ordered an extra BD155.2 million ($411 million) to be added to coincide with 10th anniversary of the National Action Charter on February 14.

The package was unveiled to MPs on Thursday during a meeting at the Finance Ministry, during which it emerged that an extra BD270 million was being pumped into the two-year national budget from oil revenues.

'The most important thing for the government is to help limited income Bahraini families and this is why we have agreed to three major changes to the budget as directed by the King,' said Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa.

The cash includes a BD100 million emergency fund to help low-income Bahrainis cope with increasing living costs over the next two years.

An extra BD44 million is being pumped into government subsidies to keep prices down, while social aid for vulnerable groups - such as widows, the disabled and divorcees - will be increased by BD11.2 million.-TradeArabia News Service